Nuclear fusion could help the world reach net-zero - The Economist
Nuclear fusion could help the world reach net-zero
Today’s nuclear power stations use nuclear fission, which splits the nucleus of a heavy element. Nuclear fusion is the reverse. Scientists have been trying to make it work as an energy source for decades. The promise is near limitless clean energy. One kilogram of fusion fuel could yield the energy equivalent of ten million kilograms of fossil fuel. Fusion would also work in any weather, unlike solar and wind, and create far less dangerous waste than today’s nuclear power plants. A new wave of private investment hopes to make fusion a reality.
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Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.